Review: Noughts and Crosses, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

It’s been nearly 25 years since Malorie Blackman’s iconic Noughts and Crosses series first went to print. This extraordinary work flips the status of black and white people in society, imagining a world where possibilities of power and opportunity are reversed. Although in a fictional setting, much of what she reveals is the truth about the mechanics of the actual institutionalised racism we live within; the everyday detail of veiled privilege and inequality; its often traumatising effects on mental health and its propagation of division, hatred and violence. It pulls no punches and is a complex collection of understandings, so to make it manageable for a teen audience Blackman frames it in a tragic love story, hinting at Romeo and Juliet, which gives emotional insight into the realities she’s exposing and holds the reader’s hand as they delve into some pretty grim places alongside the couple. Sephy, played here by Corinna Brown, is a Cross, or a ‘Dagger’, representing the black community, while Callum (Noah Valentine) is a Nought, or ‘Blanker’, and is white.

Blackman’s inspired vision gives a strong core to this production at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, adapted by Dominic Cooke and directed by Tinuke Craig. It fiercely demands the rethinking of racial status in an action-packed, physically impressive performance. Careful detail highlights everyday disadvantages, such as the unavailability of brown plasters and comparative school class sizes, and it’s a deeply probing examination of racism that causes you to question your own role in society. The six main books in Blackman’s series are here integrated into a 2.5-hour production with an age guidance of 14+. At that length and with a 19:45 start time, it’s pretty clear this production isn’t aiming primarily at the teen audience. Indeed, it leans heavily into the darker aspects of the tale, making it much more for adults. 

There’s no black and white to Colin Richmond’s design. The story plays out in a Brutalist structure, with stark props and plain furniture, used by both wealthy and poor families, telling of mutual institutionalisation, while the costume palette is similar for both. Their shared space is perpetually restless, figures constantly and insidiously perceptible. This visual levelling suggests an oppressive society, but means the action repeatedly uses the same area and aesthetic, lessening the idea of division. Furthermore, the intimacy of the love story—central to understanding the human impact of events—lacks focus in open daylight; their secret is exposed from the start, there’s less anticipatory electricity between the couple, and the device is less powerful.

With so much action to pack in, corners are sometimes cut. Time invested initially developing the relationship between Callum and Sephy would mean we’re more emotionally invested in their tragedy. The talented cast delivers a huge amount of narrative, and the dialogue at times needs to find its beats: a big revelation, such as a death, requires a breath whilst the audience registers it, but often we’re swept into the next event without that moment for reflection. Thank goodness for Max Pappenheim’s considered sound design, which brings welcome continuity to the drama. There are additionally odd choices in the use of humour around alcoholism, and the news report performed as a kind of pastiche, which undermine the seriousness of the topics disclosed. However, excellent visual effects, such as smoking bomb blasts and slow motion movement, have solid impact, driving home the message of destructive consequences for a divided society. 

Blackman’s work is extraordinarily powerful, and this production certainly invests a lot of effort into vigorously presenting her message. However, at times it needs to give its audience different space to feel its effects as well.

Based on the novel by Malorie Blackman,
Adapted by Dominic Cooke
Directed by Tinuke Craig
Fight Direction by RC-Annie
Sound Design by Max Pappenheim
Music Composition by DJ Walde
Lighting Design by Joshua Pharo
Set & Costume Design by Colin Richmond
Movement Direction & Intimacy Coordination by Ingrid McKinnon

Noughts and Crosses runs at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre until Saturday 26 July.